Brazilian Pets Hold Adorable Carnival Parade
Just days before Brazil's highly-anticipated annual Carnival celebration, Rio de Janeiro's four-legged stars were able to enjoy a day of fun with their favorite humans on Sunday, according to The Associated Press.
The furry pre-Carnival parade was quite a blast, with pet owners dancing on the streets in costume. Together with their pets, who were also dressed up in popular costumes and accessories, the atmosphere of the parade was one of celebration.
Dozens of pooches participated in the event, which also featured a live band performing celebratory songs during the parade. One particular dog, a medium sized furbaby, was adorably dressed as DC icon The Flash, with yellow wings on the side of its head.
Another crowd-pleaser was a pair of dogs, placed in a pet stroller, which sported Olympics ring headbands. Apart from the pair, another dog was dressed as Latin American fictional hero, Zorro.
The parade kicked off with the Banda Vira-lata, which translates to "Street Dog Band" in Portuguese, which announced the beginning of the pooch parade. As the band played some nifty samba tunes, the furry participants, together with their favorite humans, paraded under the blazing sun of Rio, reported ABC News.
In describing the energy and the festivities, one of the singers from the band said that the "blocao," or block party, was "animal," a clear and accurate depiction of just how festive the dog parade was.
The parade lasted a full two hours, with the dogs fully enjoying the company of other pooches, as well as, of course, their favorite humans.
Meanwhile, amid all the anticipation and pre-celebration in the nation's air, Brazil's health officials are trying desperately to battle the onslaught of the Zika virus. Across the country, scenes of fumigation to kill the disease-ridden mosquitoes and scenes of people preparing for the celebration stand in contrast with each other, showing a country which is quickly becoming the very personification of the notion that the show must go on.
The Zika infection has already affected approximately 4,000 children, whose resulting birth defects are blamed on the fast-spreading virus. Children who are affected by the virus are noted for their abnormally large heads, a sign that the brain was underdeveloped during conception, according to The Daily Mail.
With the nation set to host the 2016 Olympic Games later this year, Brazil's health officials have been on overdrive, amid fears that athletes who will be coming from other countries are at risk of catching the virus during their stay in the country.
Nevertheless, considering the nation's efforts, both the Carnival and the Olympic Games are set to happen no matter what.
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